PRINTMISS I think you are wise. I am sure my treasures will be in a skip the day after the funeral. I do remember having to clear my uncle's house and he had hung onto what he felt was valuable( his stuff) and thrown away or sold the valuable stuff( grandmothers possessions) I've had all our old slides put onto disks and I point out anything of value to DD and SIL on their rare visits.

I'm a hard hearted hannah according to OH. I say that there's hoarding and there's keeping things for sentimental reasons. Two totally separate issues here. Putting the kettle that you've replaced because it doesn't work/leaks in the loft is hoarding. Believe me, it's true, he does it! He also put the front grill of the car in the garage after replacing it as it was smashed by a low flying pheasant (now deceased) I think that keeping his late wife's jewellery is ok though.

I think that pointing out anything of value is a good idea in some circumstances.

There is sentimental. There is hoarding. And then there is the it will be useful someday. The last one is the one I dont always get right.

Most of my children's stuff - that which isn't on the roof - is in an old caravan in my garden. One day we will tow it to the wilds of the North Yorkshire Moors or similar, with a box of matches...

Every time I visit the DDs I take some of their stuff that they feel I can store for them. Books are surreptitiously slipped into cupboards or onto shelves.i once had a garage full of furniture when one of them upped sticks for the US . One left over 100 pairs of shoes and a wardrobe full of clothes. The charity shops were fed by me.

reread.org.uk This is a great charity working in South yorkshire for any hoarders of books they reuse, recycle and redistribute for free to care homes, community centres etc

I have regular clear outs. If it hasn't been used in the previous year it's out. Apart from one drawer. That has sentimental stuff like school reports, my degree certificate, special birthday and Christmas cards etc. The rule for that drawer is that when it's full something has to go. It makes you very selective about what you keep.

If in doubt, chuck it out!

Just had another chuck sort out. Most to the charity shop and a few bits that are totally useless to the tip.

I like to recycle as much as possible.

I have to confess to being a hoarder. when we came to live in The Hebrides all our worldly goods were in a transit van. I now have two 7ft built in wardrobes and a 5ft built in wardrobe, the usual chests of drawers in two of the bedrooms, the third bedroom we call " the indoor shed", it does have a bed settee for emergencies, also a tread mill and a strider plus lots of cartons half full because I try to buy in bulk when possible, toilet rolls, paper kitchen towels etc.
I have just spent 2 days sorting the wardrobe in our bedroom, I had forgotten what was in there, 2, 3, and even 4 garments had been stuffed carefully placed on hangers so I could get more in. Every cupboard in full to overflowing, I don't really know when or how this all happened, there are no clothes shops on the island and very few other shops.
We have just made another trip to "The thrift shop" on the next island with clothes and shoes hardly worn. I have told my DH someone must be sneaking stuff in the house while we are asleep because its certainly not my fault. It definitely cant be his fault because he does not use the computer.

Nonnanna are you married to my OH as well?

Old toilet seats, old telephones "in case" and much more. I am not sure if he has noticed I chucked out the broken Dyson a couple of years ago now.
Who in their right mind buys packs of three rubber bath mats in one go which wither in the loft. Ah yes! The man who trys repairing them with a puncture outfit.
I do know neighbours all with double garages who cannot get into them for "stuff."

I am probably worrying too much about this but what the heck will we do when it comes to downsizing. It's the thought of having to go through the hassle of getting him to chuck enough crap out to move to a smaller place.

This is the method that works for me.
I clear all my stuff, that is anywhere near his.
It leaves his stuff in splendid isolation.
He notices, but chooses to ignore for several days.
I dont say anything at all.
After about 2 weeks, he can stand it no longer, and he clears it.

Not guaranteeing that this will work for you, but might be worth a try!

You seem to be on the right path newist.

Yes soon I shall keep on now that I have started, If I dont use it, or love it, out it goes

It's not ME that hoards obsessively excessive rubbish, that's my problem.

Oh dear.

DS1 has still to make good his promise (threat?) to carry out a 'life laundry' on my cluttered little house. It's 15 years since he helped me to clear out my last house, so there's been time to let things pile up. I have stuff in the boot that needs to go to the tip and loads of things for the charity shops. I have pledged myself to weight loss, so it wouldn't be a good idea to chuck out all those skirts, dresses and trousers that don't fit me at the moment.

Oh Nelliemoser I think I must be. Don't they drive us mad?! I have recently developed a method of always secretly popping something in the black bin on the morning it's emptied. We'll never get rid of all the broken items if I don't. None of them are any good for recycling and he won't take them to the tip. He hasn't noticed yet.

nonnanna Yes sneak them out last thing and bury them deep in the bin so they cannot be noticed and retrieved. Which happens here.

I have a large carrier bag behind the guest room door and try to fill it every month and then take it to oxfam. I keep putting a squash racquet in it and it gets taken out. When is DH at 70 going to play squash again? Last used 30 years ago. Then there are my uncles golf clubs. He has been dead many a long year but someone might visit and have forgotten their golf clubs. And maps of everywhere we have ever holidayed including the free ones from garages in the US some 20 years ago. And old LPs early Beatles stuff.

Yes PRINTMISS not a happy occasion clearing out loved ones final earthly leavings.

I am developing a collection as a final leaving. A skip will be booked for the rest when I can no longer manage alone. The collection however will be worth selling on. LOL might even pay the funeral bill.

Reviving this as I have to add something.
My son, 31, is FINALLY about to move out into his own rented 2 bed terrace. My house is a 3 bed townhouse.

His is a minimalist bedroom, which means I cannot use my third bedroom as it is full of his clothes and other clutter - books, DVDs, CDs. My dining room is full of his fitness equipment, my utility room/outhouse full of his guitar cases, suitcases and other bits and pieces.

My kitchen cupboards are full of things he buys with the intention of using but never does - exotic spices and sauces, huge bags of dried chillies, Panko breadcrumbs, seaweed and Lord knows what else.

It will be lovely to finally see what I have. Not much, TBH. I have told him that I am storing NOTHING for him. If it doesn't go with him it goes for a bulk rubbish collection.

Ironically he quite likes a declutter. When I was on holiday he threw out various bits and pieces of mine including some lead crystal glasses that cost an arm and a leg, and a beautiful set of Viners cutlery that was a treasured wedding present - and saw it as A Good Thing.

He sounds just like my two! Hate to say this but I bet he'll be back #boomeranggeneration

Move back? AAARGH!!!
He's 31...Oh heavens I hope not. Not unless he loses his job (God forbid) or something. The other possibility is that he moves in with someone eventually and that relationship then breaks down.
That's happened once already, about five years ago.

mccullochs29's post has made me wonder whether that is how other people have "minimalist" rooms or houses.
Other people have their belongings. It is all stored/stuffed/in storage out of sight. Or they really do have only 2 towels, 2 sets of bedlinen, a handful of items etc.